Colorado Shooting: Cabin-dwelling recluse ‘Planned Parenthood gunman' was once a happily married father and art dealer – but became a pot-smoking oddball who sought sadomasochistic sex online after divorce

Police have identified the gunman suspected of killing three people and injuring nine at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic. Above, a mugshot of Robert Dear

The suspect accused of killing three people in an attack on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado was once a happy father and art dealer who painted and listened to rock music, a report has revealed.

Robert Dear, 57, who allegedly burst into the clinic in Colorado Springs on Friday and opened fire, was a recluse who moved to a remote cabin in the state a year ago, his neighbors have told Daily Mail Online.

But a new report by the New York Times has revealed that Dear was once a happily married family man who lived with his wife and son in South Carolina.

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Since his 2000 divorce, Dear seems to have declined into a loner who lives in a remote cabin, seeking bondage and sadomasochistic sex online and smoking marijuana.

Dear lived in a cabin (pictured) eight miles away from the small town of Hartsel, where he quietly ate his meals at a cafe

A cabin in the woods of North Carolina where Dear lived has no running water and no electricity before moving to Colorado a year before the attacks

A neighbor said that Dear did not openly discuss religion or abortion with him, but a cross made of twigs was seen outside the suspect's old house in North Carolina on Saturday

Officer killed in CO Planned Parenthood attack remembered

Dear's former wife of 16 years, 54-year-old Pamela Ross, said he did get angry sometimes and did not engage in small talk.

The couple had one son together before divorcing in 2000 and Dear took custody of the boy who is now 25. Dear raised his son in North Carolina, where he

Ross was born in Charleston and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and his father was a graduate of Charleston's famous public military college, Citadel.

The younger Dear was raised Baptist, Ross told the New York Times. She said he was not a regular church goer, but he was religious.

'He believed wholeheartedly in the Bible,' she said, adding that he was never fixated on the book.

'That's what he always said, he read it cover to cover to cover.'

Dear was generally conservative and kept guns in his home for personal protection and hunting, but he was not obsessed with politics, Ross said. 

Colorado Springs police captured Dear after a five-hour stand-off in which he allegedly killed three people

The gunman was barricaded inside the family planning clinic and exchanged fire with police during a standoff that lasted for hours

She said that Dear believed abortion was wrong, but 'it was never really a topic of discussion'.

Ross said Dear exercised, ate healthily, rode motorcycles and listened to rock music and it 'never crossed her mind' that he would be capable of a mass shooting.

Dear moved from North Carolina to Colorado and set up home in an area where people 'like to be by themselves' about a year ago, locals told Daily Mail Online.

But he never gave any hint of any political views when he ate his meals at the only cafe in the isolated town of Hartsel, eight miles from his remote cabin.

Van Wands, 58, was a neighbor of Dear, and said that the suspected gunman 'preferred to be left alone'.

Dear is due to be arraigned on Monday over the deaths of three people at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs.

The divorcee seems to have retreated from society after his divorce.

An online advert posted under Dear's pseudonym after the split asked for bondage and sadomasochistic sex and company to smoke marijuana. 

 

Dear never gave any hint of any political views when he ate his meals at the only cafe (pictured) in the isolated town of Hartsel, eight miles from his remote cabin in Colorado

Jamie Heffelman (pictured), who works at the town's only cafe, the Highline Cafe and Saloon, where Dear was a regular, said 'he was very quiet'

Dear lived in a remote cabin eight miles from Hartsel and was only known by those who saw him eating in the small town's only cafe

Police maintained a heavy presence outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Saturday as the authorities continued to investigate the shooting

Ross said that on Saturday morning Dear's photo on television looked much more haggard and that 'something must have happened to him'.

Dear is accused of murdering 44-year-old six-year police veteran and part-time pastor Garrett Swasey and two civilians who have yet to be named.

The murders prompted President Barack Obama to once again push for more gun control. Dear was reported to have had an assault rifle, possibly an AK-47.

It remains unclear if the Planned Parenthood murders were linked to undercover videos showing its staff discussing the sale of aborted fetuses' body parts.

The organization claimed the videos had fueled 'domestic terrorism'.

Sources told NBC that nothing apparent, such a felony conviction or mental illness, would have disqualified him from purchasing an AK-47 style rifle.

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But public records from South Carolina show that he was charged with cruelty to animals for an incident where he shot a dog and was also charged with being a peeping Tom, eavesdropping or peeping in 2002 for an incident after 'making unwanted advancements' towards a woman and being seen in the bushes by her house.

He was found not guilty of the first charge and the second was dismissed, though a restraining order was issued in the case.


Officials said that they were dealing with a 'huge crime scene'. Above, a frightened woman is escorted away from the shooting scene

Some in nearby businesses were kept in stores for hours as the standoff unfolded. Above, those who were being held are taken to an ambulance

Those trapped in shops such as a grocery store and chiropractor's office waited until police arrived to take them away. Above, people are escorted away from the Planned Parenthood scene

Officer and 2 civilians dead in Colorado Springs shooting

In 1997 Ross also called police for a domestic violence evidence where she says he locked her out of their house and pushed her out a window when she entered.

She did not press charges.

Though Dear's motive remains unclear, officials claim that the suspect ranted about abortion and politics after the shooting.

Dear reportedly made statements to law enforcement officers about President Barack Obama and comments such as 'no more baby parts' in reference to Planned Parenthood.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD STATEMENT
Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains president and CEO Vicki Cowart said: 'Our top priority is the safety of our patients and staff.

'Our hearts go out to everyone involved in this tragic situation. Planned Parenthood has strong security measures in place, works closely with law enforcement agencies, and has a very strong safety record.

'We don't yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don't yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack. We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country.

'We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust.'

Officers are looking into Dear's background to see if the 'baby parts' comment, which was said during questioning, played a role in the suspected gunman's decision to target the clinic.

It remains unclear if the Planned Parenthood murders were linked to undercover videos showing its staff discussing the sale of aborted fetuses' body parts.

Dear arrived in Colorado a year ago, locals told Daily Mail Online, and lived a similar life.

'He was very quiet,' said Jamie Heffelman, who works at the town's only cafe, the Highline Cafe and Saloon, where Dear was a regular.

'He never interacted with anyone. He would just come in here, eat and drink, and never caused any problems.

'He would just order his food and kept himself to himself. He was very pleasant.

She added: 'He never spoke about politics or anything like that.

'A lot of people come here to be left alone - you can live for years around here and no one will notice.'

Another local, Charlie Buher, added: 'Nobody really knew him. The kind of guys who live up here, they like to be by themselves.'

He was listed as unaffiliated on a voter registration for Colorado in 2014.

Dear also had a home in Hartsel, Colorado, about a one hour and 20 minutes drive from the Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, the nearest major city.



The officer who was shot was identified as 44-year-old Garrett Swasey (pictured), a six-year veteran of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police 

Swasey is a father-of-two and was very active in his church, serving as a co-pastor. His wife Rachel is a nurse

Before becoming a police officer, Swasey was a former champion ice skater. Above, a picture shared by his partner Christine Binder

Police hold procession for cop killed at Planned Parenthood

Neighbors said that they didn't know Dear very well.

Zigmond Post, who lives about half a mile from Dear's cabin, said he had only met him a few times, but had a brief conversation about politics when his dogs got loose on Der's property.

When he went to retrieve the dogs, Dear handed him political pamphlets that criticized President Barack Obama. They did not have any anti-abortion messages or racist overtones.

'He gave us these pamphlets and said, "Hey, if you ever want to talk about this stuff, look this over",' Post told the New York Times. 'I think we threw them into the campfire that night.'

Attorney General Loretta E Lynch said in a statement that Friday's shooting was 'not only a crime against the Colorado Springs community, but a crime against women receiving health care services at Planned Parenthood, law enforcement seeking to protect and serve, and other innocent people'.

She added: 'It was also an assault on the rule of law, and an attack on all Americans' right to safety and security'.

Senior Justice Department officials are looking into whether to move forward with a federal case.

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Colorado Springs mayor John Suthers said that people could make 'inferences from where it took place' when looking for a possible motive behind the shooting.

Five police officers and four civilians were among those injured in the attack.

Suthers said authorities were able to monitor Dear's movements in real time using security cameras inside the facility.

He said that watching the situation was 'incredibly dramatic' and that for the last hour Dear was stationary in one spot of the clinic.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STATEMENT AFTER PLANNED PARENTHOOD SHOOTING
The last thing Americans should have to do, over the holidays or any day, is comfort the families of people killed by gun violence - people who woke up in the morning and bid their loved ones goodbye with no idea it would be for the last time.

And yet, two days after Thanksgiving, that’s what we are forced to do again.

We don’t yet know what this particular gunman’s so-called motive was for shooting 12 people, or for terrorizing an entire community, when he opened fire with an assault weapon and took hostages at a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado. What we do know is that he killed a cop in the line of duty, along with two of the citizens that police officer was trying to protect. We know that law enforcement saved lives, as so many of them do every day, all across America. And we know that more Americans and their families had fear forced upon them.

This is not normal. We can’t let it become normal. If we truly care about this - if we’re going to offer up our thoughts and prayers again, for God knows how many times, with a truly clean conscience -- then we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them. Period. Enough is enough.

May God bless officer Garrett Swasey and the Americans he tried to save - and may He grant the rest of us the courage to do the same thing.

Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting suspect in custody

A man holds a sign as people gather for a vigil on Saturday inside All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church the day after a gunman opened fire on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Vigil attendees hold hands during a ceremony on Saturday to mark Friday's shooting at Planned Parenthood

Korina Ciuba, right, her brother Gage Ciuba and their grandmother Jean Harmon of Colorado Springs hold hands with fellow mourners during Saturday's vigil

Those inside the clinic hid in different rooms as they fled from the gunmen, and police rammed the building with a truck, enabling some inside to escape.

Some of those who survived the shooting have begun to tell their stories

One man whose windshield was shattered by gunfire said he was able to drive away after he saw the assailant's 'cold stone face'.

Ozy Licano, 61, who lives 85 miles southeast of Colorado Springs, had dropped friends off at the clinic, and he tried to run when he saw the shooter.

'He just started shooting up the entryway... I saw him shoot up and down,' Licano told CNN.

'I kinda lost it there... I tried to get out of my car and run.'

He said that he caught Dear's eyes for five seconds after he got back in his car and tried to drive away.

'He was looking directly at my face; he was aiming at my head. I could see it in his eyes... cold stone face.'

Bullets destroyed Licano's windshield, though he was not directly hit but was treated for wounds from the shattered glass.

Dear, who was described as wearing a trench coat and hunting cap while carrying a long gun, was arrested after hours of a standoff and shootout with police.

His surrender and apprehension came five hours after the first 911 calls shortly before noon.

People gathered on Saturday to honor the three people who were killed in the attack, including a University of Colorado Colorado Springs police officer, Garrett Swasey

University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police chief Brian McPike, left, stands stands with others officer during a moment of silence for fallen officer Garrett Swasey before a college basketball game on Saturday

University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police chief Brian McPike, left, and Lt Clayton Garner salute fallen officer Swasey

University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Lt Clayton Garner, facing camera, hugs Lt Marc Pino following the moment of silence honoring Swasey

Officers of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police force walk into a vigil held on campus for those killed in Friday's deadly shooting

The mayor said Friday evening: 'We mourn the loss of two civilian victims, we mourn the loss of a very brave police officer.' He added that there was 'no continuing peril to the citizens of Colorado Springs'.

Swasey was a six-year veteran of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs police force and a married father-of-two.

Suthers said that there was a 'huge crime scene' and that it would take time to identify all the victims.

Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said: 'We're still reaching out to confirm individuals, how they are. I believe no one of our staff was severely injured. I also believe at this time that none of our patients were injured.'

President Barack Obama was briefed about the situation as it was happening and released a statement on Saturday.

'The last thing Americans should have to do, over the holidays or any day, is comfort the families of people killed by gun violence - people who woke up in the morning and bid their loved ones goodbye with no idea it would be for the last time,' the statement said.

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'And yet, two days after Thanksgiving, that's what we are forced to do again.'

He said 'we can't let it become normal' and added that 'we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them'.

Obama's statement said that authorities do not know the motive for the shooting, but 'we know that more Americans and their families had fear forced upon them'.

The officer who was shot dead traveled to the scene in response to a report that an officer was under fire and in need of support. 

John Suthers, mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado, arrives at a vigil held on University of Colorado-Colorado Springs' campus

Brian McPike, center, the chief of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police force wipes tears from his eyes during a vigil on campus on Saturday

McPike applauds during Saturday's vigil honoring fellow officer Swasey and two other victims who were killed on Friday

An unidentified Colorado State Patrol trooper, right, consoles an officer of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police force during Saturday's vigil

Swasey and his wife Rachel have a young son Elijah, 10, and daughter Faith, six.

'Here's a guy who worked full-time as a police officer, and then gave a great amount of time to his local church and didn't get a dime for it,' Scott Dontanville - a co-pastor with officer Swasey at Hope Chapel who knew the man for 15 years - told The New York Times.

'He did it because it was the thing that he felt he needed to do.'

Another co-pastor, Kurt Aichele, said: 'It's not the first time that he's been placed in harm's way. He's an absolute man of courage.'

Beyond his ministry and police work, Swasey had also been an accomplished ice skater, which prompted the Massachusetts native's move to Colorado.

He won a national championship as a junior, and competed in the adult US Championships in 1991, 1993 and 1995, according to the Boston Globe.

'The Planned Parenthood family grieves for officer Garrett Swasey's family, friends and colleagues dealing with heartbreaking loss tonight,' said Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards on Twitter on Friday evening.

The organization said that none of the civilians dead or injured worked at the clinic.

Dear is being held on no bond and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

Since the shooting, the Colorado Springs community has banded together to hold vigils for the victims of Friday’s attack.

Community members filled All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church and moments of silence were held during several city events. 

Mourners console one another during vigil held on University of Colorado-Colorado Springs' campus for those killed in Friday's deadly shooting at a Planned Parenthood

R.J. Canales, left, and his wife, Lauren, who are alumni of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, take part in a candlelight vigil held on University of Colorado-Colorado Springs' campus for those killed in Friday's deadly shooting

People gathered to mourn and honor the victims of Friday's shooting at a vigil at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs late Saturday

University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police officer Jerod Heidrick, center, is consoled during a vigil on the school's campus

Daily Mail UK